NO COMMUNISM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 205, 15 September 1937, Page 9

NO COMMUNISM

{ >u, Mwit ('>• •epi'ondent t

Influences Within Federation Of Labour

(Froir>

WELLINGTON, This Day A* denial that Gominunist inlTucnoc withiu the rnuks of the ncwlj'-for''. ef' New Zealand Federation of Labour amounts to anything important is is rtued by responsiblrt offic.ials of • th*> natimiai" la'oonr l ody: • > Recently it was deelared by a critic tl.at leading ofl'icials of the Federation of Labour had been connceted with Ihe (Jouuuunist niovenicnt aud tliat i Uiojy' were now itiflumicing thc policy of ! tlie fedcnition in a mnnuer whicli was ^ dlsturbing to niodevate Labour, lt was

also stated that those offieials, with their previous Communist connection, were a faetor in the creation of industrial unrest at a time when it was more than ever esseutial that tbe unions should realise thoir responsibilities and exhibit paticnce. Inquiiies here reveal that this view is not shared by offieials ot the federation. It is uot knowu here that CommiTiiists are filling leading positions in tbe federation, though it is adniittod that there are some cases men with old Oonuiiuuist affiliations who are acting as secretaries of vai'ious unions am- local organiaations. Uovvever, it is stated, thc general impotus of the Communist movemont has waned greatly with the passing of tlie doprcssion. 'Ulie Conimunists wero acth o among tho reliqf workers and were commanding attcntidn fivc yoars ago wliicb they are unable to obtnin to-

day. They have been robbed of their audience by the fact that these men have gone to jobs and no longer have the leisure to listen or the willingness to follow suggestions of the Reds. In some instances, it ip stated, men with Communist connections have riseu to positions in the unions, but the new responsibilitios has soon sobered them and they have found that they could uot do what thev had been p Teaching. Of course ,the Federation of Labour is an industrial Qrganisation and as such not primarilv concerued with the politicai outloolt of its members. But in a sit'uation whore the Oomnnmists were attempting their familiar tactics of "boring from within" it is though t. here that their plans would have been detceted hefore now and up to tho prescnt the federation has found uotlij ing that is considercd te be disturblin«" *